Colorado

[wsmith]

Waving at everyone for the warm welcome! Thanks! I'm getting a bit embarrassed that my girls STILL have not even had ONE egg between them. Patience, NOT my strong point.


So, today I'm adding a light to my coop and also got my girls some new feed. I added a small bag of oyster shell, do I need more? What is the ratio for this? How much do they need?


Lees

Just give it to them free choice. They will eat what they need, when they need it. Make sure they can't scratch it into the ground, or fill the container with debris. Mine is in an old flat tool tray, sitting on the roost. They hop up and take a few bites and go on their way.

 

[wickedlees]

I just was able to go into Spouts and they gave me a HUGE (way more than I need) box of greens for my girls! Yippee! Also melon was only $1 so I got one for them as a treat. So spoiled. I have theirs in a feeder they don't knock it over unless they feel like it, I am going to get a long one that goes on the side of the coop or fence when we move the coop in the spring and add a run, right now they just run all around, but when the garden goes in.... no can do.

 

[mylilchix]

Hello everyone! Do any of you know of any guinea fowl breeders? My female escaped and ran off last night. My dog tracked her to her remains, something got her,

. My male is beside himself, I'd love to find him a new friend. Thanks for your help!
Sonja

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Did a fast Craigslist search and found this. Maybe a picture could give you an idea of the gender...

http://cosprings.craigslist.org/grd/3416584393.html

Sorry your gal got loose.

 

[Pozees]

Chicken math....

Beth tends to get nervous when I talk about how many chicks we need to hatch out next spring in order to get a few really good pullets and another good rooster. Then I remind her that the culls that don't sell, can be processed and bottled or frozen, and all will be right with the world. Then she is OK with it.

Beth had chemo yesterday. Scans are scheduled for sometime in the next couple of weeks. Let's hope and pray that the tumors have been beaten back again.

Well, I'm hoping to purchase a couple of your culled pullets for my laying flock, and I highly doubt I'm in the minority

Hoping and praying for good news from the scans.

If my week's craziness lets up tomorrow or Thursday I'll send you a PM to see if you're available for a visit. Yesterday and today defied logic. Tonight I got home so late I never saw my girls, because I leave before dawn and tonight home at dark.

 

[Pozees]

Just got an email back from the CO Vet people at CSU. They send in the NPIP participation report to the USDA quarterly. Those of us who just got tested should have our NPIP mumbers within a couple of months. (Of course, we are dealing with the Feds, so who know how long it will take.....)

Yeah, they took two months to cash my check and I still haven't gotten my number.

 

[Pozees]

Waving at everyone for the warm welcome! Thanks! I'm getting a bit embarrassed that my girls STILL have not even had ONE egg between them. Patience, NOT my strong point.

Bees, If you are in CO, bees for me were pretty much a breeze, OK, maybe an understatement, but if I had 42 acres, I'd have many many hives! My experience with the garden/bees this year was amazing! First and foremost, I got CO bees. Mine came from Tim Brod out of Boulder area. I'm hoping to split my strong hive this year. I intentionally didn't rob a lot of honey so they would have a better chance of over-wintering. I have a bee blog if you are interested in my experience.http://leesandherbees.blogspot.com/ I am still working on the last entry for the year about my processing the honey I did take.

I'm also more than happy to help out with bees if anyone wants, I'm by NO means an expert for sure, but there are also some bee orgs around, though I didn't go that route, I just did my own research and found a couple good ones like this website online. One is Beesource.com a good one! Great help there! Plus you also don't have to do the Longstroth hives, you can do T-bar or Warren hives. More "natural" approach to beekeeping. I love being a beek.

So, today I'm adding a light to my coop and also got my girls some new feed. I added a small bag of oyster shell, do I need more? What is the ratio for this? How much do they need? I'm going to cut up a pumpkin for them as well, but I like to keep those and roast them for dog treats, which my doggies love! Plus I'm making some cookies to send to my son who is in the navy and get his crew a big box of cookies. Can't have our boys out there with no cookies

Nice to see everyone!
Lees

I have a two-hole el cheapo plastic dog dish that I got at one of the dollar stores, and I offer free choice oyster shell and grit in it, so they can decide what they need. I have noticed since I decreased the amount of layer in my fermented feed, they are using more oyster shell.

Makes sense to get CO bees, good tip. I will look at your blog, thanks for the link!

 

[Pozees]

Hello everyone! Do any of you know of any guinea fowl breeders? My female escaped and ran off last night. My dog tracked her to her remains, something got her,

. My male is beside himself, I'd love to find him a new friend. Thanks for your help!
Sonja

Bummer. I've had Guinea Fowl in the past, and found they were far more inclined to just leave than chickens are.

 

[suncatcher]

Hello all, been on the forum for a bit but just saw this CO thread, we live east of Colorado Springs. We started out with 5 chicks in August, now we somehow have 44

.

Cool! lol

 

[AlivianAcres]

Anyone raising ducks?

Wickedlees: I am heading to your blog now!! Bees are a topic the hubby and I have been throwing around...defiantly looking to learn more!